


Walking the Wire

by BabyChocoboAlchemist



Series: The Reborn Crownsguard [5]
Category: Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Anger, Hidden Emotions, M/M, Reborn Crownsguard AU, Seifer Almasy/Prompto Argentum (unrequited), confronting the past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 18:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11296611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyChocoboAlchemist/pseuds/BabyChocoboAlchemist
Summary: Inspired by an Imagine Dragons song of the same name. Prompto's in a relationship Seifer doesn't think works-and it's not because of how old his beautiful boyfriend, Laguna, is. The Almasy jumps on the opportunity to let Laguna know he's unworthy of the chocobo, backing the instructor into a corner-and wounds are brought to the surface."You haven't done anything but take advantage of him, knowing damn well he'd let you do whatever the fuck you please. Didn't think I'd ever say this, but you're an even bigger loser than your son."





	Walking the Wire

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! :) Thank you coming. I'm glad you've joined the 'Reborn Crownsguard' adventures! 
> 
> This piece can be read as a connected piece to the other Prompto/Laguna pieces, or it can be a standalone. Whatever you wish. :) This was written in defense of not the chocobo this time, but in Laguna's defense, and in the defense of all of those that hide their pain behind smiles. In looking up Laguna's backstory, I realized that not only is he separated from Prompto by age, but he's got quite the background-one in which he had two passionate love interests, one resulting in Squall's birth. His relationship with Squall is strained for a billion and one reasons, resulting not only in Squall not really being a big fan, but insecurities hidden beneath a cheerful surface as well. Which has Laguna similar to Ignis _and_ Prompto.
> 
> For some odd reason, I've become infatuated with shipping the older and young gunner in this crazy universe. Their dynamic has been made even more interesting with Laguna's backstory in tow. I also feel really bad for Laguna, being written off as a clumsy goofball by far too many people-including one of the two past love interests. His English voice actor plays a huge part in this, but I feel as though he's a guy with a huge heart hiding a galaxy of pain behind a goofy, jolly smile.

Prompto never thought he'd see the world beyond his doorstep, but there he was, standing between the end of the universe and the point of no return.

He never thought anyone would be stupid enough to treat him to life's meteoric generosity, to how warm and incredible and musical it could all be, but the last couple of months had been a dream. The manifestation of happiness that transcended words. In a display of determination and valor rare to Balamb Garden, an instructor took the time out of his life to first befriend him, then fall in love with him. Ensnared in the dream the heavens (for some reason) saw fit to give him, Prompto surrendered to the euphoria of a new relationship, giddily entranced by the stunning, clumsy, air-headed, loving brunette that agreed to date him. The bright light of sunny, infinite happiness took the reigns over a once lonely, broken life, putting him back together whenever it crept out of the covers. Whenever Squall's father smiled at him, called his name, assured him there would never be anyone else and the fairy tale wouldn't ever end.

The light had been turned on. There were times the light was so bright, Prompto awakened in tears sometimes and couldn't stop crying. Cried so hard he shook, felt as though his eyes and throat were bleeding. Cried so hard nausea struck as violently as lightning, thrusting him into the bathroom. But his dorm mate, Noctis, was always beside him. Smiling, warm, forever patient and kind. Always. The same could be said of the others. When darkness echoed inside him like lightning, so many smiles led him into the light. Not only were Noctis, his other brothers and friends moronic enough to welcome him into their lives, there was also the instructor. A bond not at all ridiculed but welcomed by students and faculty alike. Despite the distance their ages created, the two of them seemed to be on the same page, happy and content with one another, the two of them effortlessly, happily working to keep the fires roaring on an hourly basis. But then-

Balamb Garden's favorite photographer found himself standing on the edge of a cliff.

They were in the lobby, much to the delight of increasingly excited Garden students. Seeing two beautiful stallions fight over their chocobo? What a treat. And who were the combatants? Instructor Laguna Loire and Seifer Almasy. The two of them, not at all interested in adhereing to Garden rules, stood inches apart. The brunette had his guns drawn, green eyes flaring, while Squall's rival had his Gunblade at the ready. A certain chocobo tried to step in between them but was cut off, stopped by SEED coach and brother Gladiolus Amicitia. Squall, still on the fence when it came to either accepting Laguna as his father or writing him off as a joke the rest of his life, stood beside his boyfriend with a seemingly indifferent look on his face. Thunder rippled though the Garden all the while, daring anyone to draw breath while the air was as fragile as a feather. What had gone wrong? Well-

"You've been having your fun, but playtime's _over._ If you think I'm gonna just stand aside while you screw around with 'im, think again."

Seifer was even less of a fan of Laguna than Squall. 

Prompto (with no small amount of reluctance) allowed himself to be held back by Gladiolus, respecting how his boyfriend apparently wanted to settle things like a man (according to the notorious, legendary coach that could kick ass a thousand ways into next year), but the tension poisoning the air was too thick to withstand. While Laguna's face remained quiet and enigmatic, Seifer's face was the portrait of hatred-clear, cold-cut and vicious. "You've got some damn nerve, thinking I'm gonna let you treat him like some substitute for your _wife,"_ Squall's rival snarled, blade still aimed at the brunette's head, referring to the information he and his subordinates had just unearthed. Shock and awe rippled through the nearby students like a tidal wave, while a certain photographer bit his bottom lip. _It didn't matter. Didn't matter at all! So what if Laguna had a past love? Squall wasn't dropped off by a stork! Gods damn it, wasn't it enough for them to-_

Seifer snickered, the sound not at all friendly but venomous. "You haven't done anything but take advantage of him, knowing damn well he'd let you do whatever the fuck you please. Didn't think I'd ever say this, but you're an even bigger loser than your son."

Low, low, way too damn low. That wasn't true. If anyone took advantage of him, it was that son of a bitch Ardyn. Laguna hadn't even come remotely close to taking advantage of him. Seifer was his friend but he was also just being an-ah. Gladiolus still wouldn't let him anywhere near the battlefield, no matter how white his face turned. It was against the law to hurt the chocobo in any way, shape or form, but the SEED coach wouldn't budge an inch. It was at that point the frantic photographer's eyes turned to the green-eyed brunette, heart racing quick enough to soar beyond the stars in the blink of an eye. 

Laguna's face was still quiet, still unreadable, reminding him very much of Instructor Scientia. He sheathed his gun, only having drawn it because Seifer lunged at him first with every intent to kill. Ignis and Laguna must've been close enough friends to communicate without words, because the similarities between them were strong enough to make Prompto's heart physically ache. "I'm sensing some hostility here," Squall's father admitted, just as calm and merry as ever, not only betraying but defiantly rebelling against the emotions burning right below the surface. Always smiling, with all eyes on him, Laguna pawed at his chin. "There's gotta be a way to prove to you that I'm one hundred percent serious about him," he wondered, eyes peering heavenward, seemingly serene.

"But I take it words aren't going to cut it. How do you suppose we go about this?"

"Easy," Seifer grinned, all eyes rushing to him. Prompto's eyes were alive with panic because Seifer was probably on the verge of saying something completely and utterly stupid, like:

"The only way I'm going to accept you screwing him over is if I'm six feet under. So the only way to go about this is for us to have some fun. Off school grounds, of course. I'm sure you'd rather not lose your instructor's license over this."

Laguna must've had a chat with Ignis somewhere along the line about mastering the art of masking your emotions. Sure, there was a bit of a smile on his face, but-

"Well, won't have to worry too much about my license if I'm a goner, now do I?"

Beaming like a cat with a mouse, Seifer sheathed his blade. "How about it, then? Two days from now, you and I can have a little fun."

"Under what terms, exactly?"

"If you kill me, you can do whatever you want. You'll have proven me wrong. If I kill you, then I'll take your chocobo away from you and _I_ can do whatever _I_ want. Deal?"

Prompto's jaw dropped a thousand feet below the core of the earth. There was _no_ way his boyfriend and friend were about to kill each other, for a worthless piece of crap that didn't even-

"You do whatever you want anyways, but I'm game. Deal."

The time and place were set, but every voice around him had become a blur. Every thread that made up Prompto's being wanted to rush in between the two of them and stop it, stop them from indulging in complete madness, stop his boyfriend from believing his past interfered with their happiness, but everything had been wiped clean: his voice, vocabulary, the power of thought-everything. Gladiolus held onto the little freckled photographer, telling him something about how they needed to settle things like champions, while Squall sighed alongside him. His voice, along with everyone else's, had become a blur to the chocobo's, but Noctis, having eyed the entire exchange with no small amount of interest, heard him loud and clear.

"And my life just became a hundred times weirder. Thank you, Seifer."

**Author's Note:**

> Squall's comment at the end references his feelings towards Laguna and Prompto's relationship. While he, along with everyone else, is in full support of a happy photographer, seeing how close the two of them are has him increasingly embarrassed over a possible change to his family lineup, having thought of Prompto as his little brother ("The guy that sings the Chocobo Song's supposed to be my second father? I can't even deal with the FIRST one! How am I supposed to cope with having TWO morons for fathers?"). 
> 
> This piece has Laguna staring not only at Seifer but more at himself, as though there's a mirror right in front of him. With a lot of people, Squall included, having written him off as either a failure or a joke, there's a lot of wounds riding on his shoulders-and Seifer backing him into a corner made him face those. It's always an adventure riding deep into someone's insecurities other than Prompto's. 
> 
> Thank you for being here!


End file.
